(a) A hospital, as that term is defined in §16-5B-1 of this code, shall be recognized by the Office of Emergency Medical Services as a comprehensive stroke center (CSC), thrombectomy-capable stroke center (TSC), primary stroke center (PSC), or an acute stroke-ready hospital (ASRH), upon submitting verification of certification as granted by the American Heart Association, the joint commission, or other nationally recognized organization to the Office of Emergency Medical Services. A hospital shall immediately notify the Office of Emergency Medical Services of any change in its certification status.
(b) The Office of Emergency Medical Services shall gain access to, and utilize, a nationally recognized stroke database that compiles information and statistics on stroke care that align with the stroke consensus metrics developed and approved by the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association, for the purpose of improving stroke care and access across the State of West Virginia. The Office of Emergency Medical Services shall, upon request, provide the data accessed and utilized relating to comprehensive stroke centers, thrombectomy-capable stroke centers, primary stroke centers, and acute stroke-ready hospitals to the advisory committee in §16-5B-18(d) of this code.
(c) The Office of Emergency Medical Services shall provide annually, by June 1, a list of all hospitals recognized pursuant to the provisions of §16-5B-18(a) of this code to the medical director of each licensed emergency medical services agency in this state. This list shall be maintained by the Office of Emergency Medical Services and shall be updated annually on its website.
(d) No later than July 1, 2018, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Resources shall establish and appoint a stroke advisory committee which shall function as an advisory body to the secretary and report no less than biannually at regularly scheduled meetings. Its functions shall include:
(1) Increasing stroke awareness;